Chapter 11 : Whiskers and Whistling (髭と口笛)

'Are they gone?'

Kana strained her senses, searching for the faintest hint of sound, but the eerie silence persisted. The stillness hung heavy in the air, heightening her uncertainty.

Lying on the bed in her not-so-choice accommodations, Kana facepalmed at her own blunder.

'I totally messed up!'

After her dramatic fainting act, she found herself back in the vast yet gloomy room where she had been confined earlier that morning.

Her odds of escape matched her intellectual high score - a resounding zero. None whatsoever.

The skylight up high in the wall seemed to sport some magical glass, ready to barbecue her bird form if she even thought about breaking free.

Gently massaging her singed hand beneath the covers, Kana sighed in relief.

In the afternoon, when she had woken up after a legit fainting episode, Kana, in a burst of daring and questionable decision-making talent, attempted a grand escape through the enchanted glass.

The plan was to shatter the glass with her beak.

Luckily, she stopped a respectable distance away, sparing her from turning into a crispy critter. However, the heat really was no joke.

'What would've happened if I pulled a speedy beak-force move!?'

Well, that was what she had intended to do.

For a beak-powered breakthrough, she had zipped towards the skylight, only to jolt back in shock.

The unmistakable scent of lightly roasted wingtips followed, nearly turning her escape attempt into an unintended self-BBQ.

Convinced that an escape route was as elusive as her chances of winning a genius contest, Kana had resorted to Plan B. She belted out a call for anyone within earshot, alerting them of her awakened state.

Internally sighing, Kana opened her eyes slowly, fixating her gaze on the ceiling.

'Now what?...'

Now that she was suspected of spying with harmful intent, there was a chance her family would be notified or even suspected as well.

'What should I do?'

Aware that her family wouldn't hesitate to sever their already tenuous ties, Kana questioned her earlier decision of disclosing her name in front of the three people. But, this was a matter directly related to the Golden Royal Family.

'They would have found out about my background without breaking a sweat.'

As Kana attempted to rise from the bed, the door lock clicked open from the outside. Startled, she laid down again and swiftly feigned sleep, gasping internally.

'Who's back? They left just minutes ago!'

Battling her internal turmoil, Kana clung to a facade of calm, not daring to open her eyes and steal a peek at the person entering.

"Don't waste my time on your acting," Charlotte's blunt voice sliced through the air.

'What the hell!'

Kana sweated with the decision of whether to reveal her awakened state or not. The dilemma intensified as Charlotte took a seat on the lone chair in the room.

"I do know more efficient ways to wake you up. You like forks, don't you?"

In an instant, Kana found herself on her knees on the bed in a humble apologetic posture, assuming the sorry figure of a child being reprimanded.

Kana's eyes met with Charlotte's and a shudder went through her whole body.

The only source of light in this room was the moonlight entering through the skylight, and Charlotte who was seated on a darker shade of the room couldn't be seen clearly except for her silhouette and her unique colored eyes that never held anything much.

Throughout the three weeks, Kana never witnessed a deviation from Charlotte's languid yet blunt demeanor, be it in the company of others or solitude.

Fidgeting nervously, Kana avoided direct eye contact with Charlotte, her gaze darting anywhere but towards the figure before her.

In the stillness, as Charlotte maintained her composed posture, Kana mustered a feeble voice, unable to endure the eerie silence.

"I-I'm sorry..."

"Hm?"

"...For faking a faint."

What the hell? Why was she so scared? Kana couldn't shake off her anxiety. Despite being aware that Charlotte was younger by months through the conversations she had eavesdropped, an inexplicable discomfort lingered in Charlotte's presence, leaving Kana on edge.

"Why were you spying?" Charlotte inquired with her usual tone.

"Um...I...I found you very pretty."

A subtle movement of Charlotte's hand caught Kana's eye - a sleek fork glinted in the limited moonlight that reached Charlotte.

"Aghhh!! That's true too! Really! but not the only reason! Let me finish!" Kana blurted out in panic.

What the hell!? Did this crazy person really bring a fork for interrogation!?

"I heard that."

"W-what?"

"I did bring a fork for interrogation."

Kana blinked twice and then snapped her mouth shut with her two hands in surprise.

"Heck! Did I say that out loud!?"

Just when Charlotte made a move to get up, Kana hastily interjected.

"Wait! Wait! Hold on! Let me gather my words! I swear on all the gods that ever existed, exists and will exist that I will tell you everything I can!"

In an instant, an indigo glow flooded the room, and mystical indigo chains coiled around Kana before vanishing.

Charlotte's eyes widened with intrigue as an indigo mark etched itself onto Kana's forehead, while Kana froze there like a statue, utterly flabbergasted.

"Huh...Huh?...Huhhhh!!!!!!" Kana clutched her cheeks with her nails in disbelief, "The first time I manage to cast a successful curse, and it's on myself!!?"

Kana spun around in internal agony and disbelief, while Charlotte settled into her chair, a visible mark of annoyance etched on her face.

"Tell me everything," Charlotte demanded in an annoyed voice.

For three weeks of rigorous yet calming silence reigned, only to be shattered by a single girl channeling the chaos of an entire bustling fish market.

Kana's gaze fixed on Charlotte, her heart aching as the latter remained indifferent to the prominent curse mark etched on her forehead.

Dramatically slumping on the floor in defeat, Kana sighed, "Guess this is my fate."

Seated cross-legged on the floor, Kana wore a contemplative expression, tapping her forehead with her index finger before speaking with a sigh.

"I'll have you know, Princess, that the only way this curse disappears is if I spill nothing but the unvarnished truth," She pointed to the mark on her forehead for emphasis.

Charlotte folded her arms, tilting her head as she scrutinized the indigo bird mark with its wings wrapped around itself.

"What happens if you lie?"

"I'm not sure," Kana saw Charlotte's eyes narrow, and hastily added, "I genuinely won't lie!"

"Go on."

"...I was spying on you since you mysteriously appeared out of nowhere and then followed you."

"So..my guess is correct. You were there weren't you? On the day I got pulled through the magic portal," Charlotte leaned back, her gaze now directed at the ceiling in thought.

"...Yes."

"Then..." Charlotte's voice dropped so low that Kana could barely hear it, "Who was it?"

"Um...Who?" Kana stammered, her whole demeanor radiating nervousness. Genuine fear etched on her face, Kana met those cold eyes, which had slid down from the ceiling to her, and a discernible shiver ran through her.

Charlotte knew that she was playing dumb.

Kana took in a deep breath, summoning all the courage she could muster, and spoke with unfeigned sincerity.

"I was merely soaking up the sun outside on a tree branch. My bird's senses are sharper than my human ones, you see, and I happen to detect a presence in the storeroom out of nowhere, and since the window was open, I entered inside."

Kana slightly bowed her head, her eyes glued to the floor as she continued.

"Then, you were brought into the storeroom. My curiosity hit overdrive, so I became the ultimate spectator. Then you know what happened. You went out and came back. Talked with the Prince and the Knight who appeared and then left the place. I...then..eavesdropped on the Prince's conversation with his friend, then got to know that you were brought to the Emperor. I got here by discreetly tailing the Lady Knight."

"Hmm, is it? You left a whole piece of information untouched, don't you think so?" Charlotte's blunt voice remained unchanged.

Kana stayed silent, her gaze still fixed on the floor. Eventually, she raised her hanging head to look directly at Charlotte.

"If I delve into that, I will be consumed by flames before even finishing the first word. I swear on everything that my spying was fueled by nothing but curiosity," As she finished speaking, the curse mark on her forehead slowly vanished.

She really had told nothing but the truth. She told everything she could, so the curse was raised off her.

Charlotte's eyes shifted to the moon through the skylight, enveloping the room in silence. The moon had ascended high, casting a full illumination upon Charlotte's figure.

In the lingering quiet, Kana gazed upon Charlotte with her breathe held, and she couldn't tear her eyes away.

When she had mentioned earlier that Charlotte being pretty was one of the reason in her spying, she wasn't kidding.

Pretty....the word 'Pretty' was an understatement.

Even now, as Kana kept her eyes fixed on Charlotte, the extent of her beauty was simply unbelievable.

Despite the common palette of colors that Charlotte endowed, there was an undeniable allure to her mysterious charm.

Her eyes, lost in a distant reverie, were framed by long, curled lashes, that they casted a shadow upon her eyes. Those unique colored eyes held a depth that could mesmerize anyone who dared to look.

Yet, it wasn't just the physical features that made Charlotte enchanting in Kana's opinion.

A calm and languid aura surrounded Charlotte, adding another layer to her already captivating beauty.

Sensing Kana's unwavering stare, Charlotte met her gaze, prompting a flinch and an anxious smile from Kana.

Maintaining eye contact for a moment, Charlotte rose from her seat.

"I have one last question for you," She declared, moving towards the door.

"Go ahead. I swear I won't lie," Kana assured with a determined face.

"Did you change into your human form before or after entering the storeroom?" Charlotte inquired.

"Huh...No, I didn't change into my human self at all," Kana promptly replied.

Charlotte stood by the open door, her gaze fixed on Kana's face. The absent curse mark left nothing to be confirmed, but Kana's face, the epitome of sincerity, revealed no trace of deception whatsoever, unless, of course, she possessed the incredible talent to pull off an innocent facade while spinning a web of lies.

Trust remained a luxury Charlotte could never afford.

*Growl*

A loud sound shattered the silence, and Kana quickly hugged her hungry stomach, cheeks ablaze with embarrassment as it emitted beastly growls.

"....want anything for dinner?" Charlotte asked.

Kana's ears perked up, and she looked up at Charlotte with starry-eyed enthusiasm.

"Meat! Meat would be grea—" Kana's excitement was abruptly cut off as a complaint struck her mind. She pointed at the skylight, "I nearly became barbecued for dinner. Wasn't even warned about that magic on it!"

Charlotte glanced at the skylight and then back at Kana's huffing face. Casting magic on the skylight was Miyuki's idea and Ingrid was the one who had casted the magic before locking up the unconscious Kana in this room in the morning.

"You weren't conscious when brought here, and that's on you for attempting to escape," Charlotte stated matter-of-factly.

Charlotte exited the room as she deadpanned, "Even a cat wouldn't bother eating you in your bird form. Feeding a T-Rex with a burnt popcorn kernel?"

Charlotte locked the door from outside, leaving behind a Kana who stood there baffled to speechlessness by her blunt sarcasm, in the dimly lit room.